The present invention relates to specialty receptacles. More specifically, the present invention is a flexible receptacle, e.g. a tightly woven cloth bag, which has a single opening attached to a planar support member that retains the bag in an open position and permits the bag to be placed directly against a metal surface through which a hole is to be punched, cut or drilled in order to catch whatever cuttings may be produced. The bag and support member is retained in position by a series of magnets affixed to the non-magnetic support member.
The planar support member to which the bag is affixed and retained in an open position may also be attached to and form part of an additional structure. The positioning and retaining member or structure may be described as having two planar members at right angles (90xc2x0) to each other with side supports therebetween having triangular shapes so as to prevent sideways escape of any metal cuttings. The support member, along one of its planar sides, has a pattern or array of magnets and a central hole, which is positioned over the area of the metal surface to be punched, cut, or drilled. The perpendicular planar member of the structure, to which the bag is attached, extends outward from the metal surface and has a fixed opening and suitable clamping means for retaining the bag attached to the perpendicular member and to hold the bag in an open position.
In a third embodiment of the present invention, the outwardly extending perpendicular member may have a recess such that a liner, having magnetic attraction properties, may then be placed within the recess and between the triangularly shaped sides so that stray cutting particles can not escape from the receptacle apparatus. Alternatively, a liner of low-density fabric cloth may be used and could prove to be a better choice for particles that are not entirely metallic in nature, e.g. wood or plastic, which could be mixed in with metal cuttings as well.
Currently, there is a need in the field for a reusable, portable, and multipurpose cuttings receptacle that can be used in several orientations and can provide a substantive alternative to obsolete and unnecessarily cumbersome methods. An example of a bag that is unmanageable to use, principally due to it""s design, is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,037 [McGuigan], which teaches about a bag for collecting waste material from a cutting machine. The bag is designed with an optional drawstring to reduce the circumference of the open end so that it can fit more securely around the cutting machine area. Alternatively, the bag could be much larger and fit semi-permanently under the table via hooks, which pass through grommets positioned in the corners at the upper open end of the bag. The bag of McGuigan could also be sealed to the sides of the table preferably by use of magnetic tape, double sided adhesive tape or VELCRO(copyright). The bag also relies almost entirely on the support of the floor to remain in an upstanding position and must be custom designed based on the dimensions of the tables, so it is often impossible to successfully transfer the bag to other machines for use.
The present invention, however, overcomes the considerable setbacks of the McGuigan""s invention by providing a portable receptacle that may be attached on practically any type of machinery or other metallic surface by use of magnets for attachment means. The present invention is also self-sufficient in that it does not have to rest of the floor for support, as McGuigan""s bag must. Further, unlike McGuigan, the present invention may be placed in any orientation because unmanageable size or design does not limit its range of use. Clearly, unlike the present invention, McGuigan teaches away from multi-purpose use of the bag as evidenced by the bulky design for use under a cutting table. Moreover, due to the present invention""s advantageous size and design, the contents of the bag are more easily disposed of either by simply overturning the bag, or turning the bag inside-out, or dusting or tapping the particles off the liner, whereas McGuigan""s invention requires the user to lift the cutting table and release all the hooks to detach the bag for disposal and then reattach the bag, which undoubtedly proves to be a lengthy and cumbersome undertaking. The present invention also provides the optional use of a magnetized liner for use in a recessed tray to attract the particles away from the structure surface, which McGuigan does not teach or even suggest.
An example of a non-reusable bag is U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,839 [Dennis], which teaches a dust bag or collection system that includes a generally vertical receptacle in the form of a pleated bag attached parallel to a vertical drill surface. The bag is attached and positioned below a hole to be drilled for the collection of particles from the surface being drilled. However, unlike the present invention, Dennis does not provide an apparatus that is capable of being used in several orientations because Dennis"" invention assumes that all of the particles will fall in a downwards direction, clearly ignoring the particles that escape in other directions.
Further, Daniels does not teach the use of magnets for attachment to the structure so that the bag may be re-used, nor does Daniels teach of a magnetic liner to attract the metal particles away from the structure and into the receptacle to keep the surface clear of debris. In fact, Daniels teaches away from the novelty of the present invention by using adhesive strips clearly intended for one-time use of the bag and by designing a receptacle, which clearly can only be used effectively in one orientation. Moreover, the particles can not be disposed of without detaching the bag entirely from the wall and disposing of the entire container. Further, there is no structure described that retains the bag in an open position as taught in the present invention.
An example of a collection bag on a larger scale is U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,286 [Stevens et al.], which discloses a ceiling dust and debris collection system for use with suspended ceilings. A large flexible bag is attached by taping means to an opening where a rectangular ceiling tile has been removed. The bag contains a rectangular opening to be attached around the perimeter of the ceiling where the tile had been removed and a circular opening with a drawstring that is attached around the waist of the human who is performing service in the ceiling area. As such, any debris will be caught in the somewhat cylindrical shaped bag. However, while this invention utilizes a type of bag collection system, it clearly does not resemble the present invention in its design, intended use or novelty.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the setbacks associated with prior receptacle bags by providing a distinctive cuttings receptacle system that is portable and allows the consumer to use the collection system in many different orientations based on the type of the work being done.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system that is re-usable and can be attached virtually anywhere via use of magnets around the planar support member of the present collection system. Thus, the system may be easily applied to any metallic surface and detached when finished and then re-applied elsewhere for continued use. Further, the collection bag, magnetic liner and cloth may be reused for an indefinite period of time as well and are designed so that minimal cleaning, if any, is required between uses.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system in which the receptacle is designed for easy disposal of accumulated particles. As such, the present system may be simply turned over so that the particles are allowed to fall through the circular aperture of the planar member and into the proper disposal receptacle. Alternatively, the particles may also be disposed of by merely dusting or tapping them off the magnetic or cloth liner in the recessed tray of the present invention.
The present invention provides a tangible solution to the considerable setbacks experienced with the prior inventions. More specifically, the present invention teaches an apparatus for catching and retaining metallic and other particles in a portable receptacle comprising a top planar support member with central circular aperture, having a plurality of magnets arranged on the upward facing surface for attachment of the apparatus to a metallic surface and a downwardly extending flexible collection bag that is attached to said planar member in an open position to catch and retain particles. The bottom planar member also has a circular aperture through which the particles may pass into a collection bag that is held in an open position between the attached bottom planar member and the top planar support.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the top planar member may contain a circular collar that distends downward from the circular aperture and is used for attaching the collection bag to the apparatus. The collection bag may be attached to the distending collar by cooperating fastening means attached to the inner surface of the opening of said collection bag and to the outer surface of said collar. Alternatively, the collection bag may be attached to the distending collar by a drawstring.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus could be comprised of two planar members, both having central openings, attached at right angles to each other, with one of the members containing an array of magnets for attachment of the receptacle to a central surface and the other member, to which a collection means is attached, extending outwards from the metal surface. A pair of triangular supports are then attached between the two planar members to prevent sideways escape of particles. A bottom planar member is attached to the horizontal planar member for capturing and retaining the collection means against the horizontal member. The horizontally extending member has a central aperture with a downwardly produced recess within which particles are collected. Within this downward recess is a collection means, i.e., magnetic liner or low density cloth, which are retained between the bottom and horizontal members, for attracting and catching particles through the aperture in the horizontal member.